Case Study:Network Rail, Botanical Gardens Depot Case Study

Hull Botantical Gardens LMD is a fuelling point that carries out train ‘A’ examinations overnight. The depot is staffed by six level five fitters and three maintenance assistants along with six cleaners based at the depot, with the night shift being the busiest and coldest shift. As the majority of the work is carried out overnight and large doorways remain open for long periods, operatives were working in single figure temperatures, particularly in the colder winter months.

The Context

With the rail shed being unheated and night time being the busiest shift, a new heating system was of paramount importance to Network Rail. Comfortable working temperatures and greater control over energy management prompted an investment in Nor-Ray-Vac continuous radiant tube heating from Reznor.

The train depot at Hull Botanical Gardens is 99m long, 16m wide and has two train tracks running through the length of the shed with two roof heights of 7 metres and 11 metres. It now benefits from the Nor-Ray-Vac system of 19 burners with ducted fresh air supply due to the diesel fumes from the engines, arranged in six temperature zones with just four discharge fans, to give the client economic flexibility of working. Suspended from the roof, the heaters emit infra-red rays that warm only objects and people in its path. They do not waste fuel heating the volume of air in the building. This will ensure that Network Rails heating costs are kept to a minimum.

The entrance and exit doors often occupy the full width of rail shed buildings and may be left open for many hours a day. When doors are open at both ends, a wind tunnel effect is created and cold air at high velocity is drawn into the shed. The problem of keeping the shed warm enough for personnel to work comfortably is compounded by the north-south alignment of the tracks which is a severe problem at night when there is no sunshine to warm the interior.

The Nor-Ray-Vac system provides even heat coverage throughout the building, with rapid warm up time and low noise operation.

Economy and effectiveness are the two key criteria specifiers required to answer when selecting a heating system for rail maintenance sheds. Finding a solution to both in a single heating system can be challenging. However, one form of space heating technology is ideally suited to this cold and often inhospitable working environment – Nor-Ray-Vac radiant tube heating.

Low operating costs are achieved by concentrating the heat at low level, where it is most needed, without heating the volume of air in the building. Rapid response times reduce running costs further. Such flexibility means that warmth is felt by people in the building within minutes of start-up and no fuel is wasted bringing the air to a comfortable temperature. Since the Reznor radiant system burns fuel at point of use, there are no distribution losses to take into account.

Emeg successfully removed the redundant system and installed the Nor-Ray-Vac system producing a comfortable working environment for operatives, especially those working the night shift.